


If I Must Abandon the Love of My Mother

by surefireshore



Series: SurefireShore's Writuary 2020 [16]
Category: Les Misérables - Victor Hugo
Genre: Canon Compliant, Canon Era, Gen, Missing Scene, Mother-Son Relationship, i think
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-01-24
Updated: 2020-01-24
Packaged: 2021-02-27 06:21:50
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 289
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/22382506
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/surefireshore/pseuds/surefireshore
Summary: As the men at the Rue de la Chanvrerie barricade discuss who should go home, Combeferre thinks of his mother.
Relationships: Combeferre & His Mother
Series: SurefireShore's Writuary 2020 [16]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1589320
Kudos: 4
Collections: Writuary 2020





	If I Must Abandon the Love of My Mother

Combeferre sat on flat space in the barricade while five good men argued about who had the greatest obligation to go home.

“It’s a question of mothers,” he had said but moments ago.

He thought of his own mother, in the estate he had called home until he went to study in Paris. The news of the insurrection would likely have not reached her yet. She would not know her last remaining child was in danger until long after he was dead.

Scenes of his childhood played in his mind. Though kept distant by their respective roles in society, Combeferre’s mother never failed to provide support and encouragement for his passions. At breakfast after a party he had been too young to attend, she would pass along any news she had heard of scientific and technological advancements. She ensured he always got to read the _Moniteur_ after his father had finished with it. She would bring him to the theater and to the courtroom. As his younger siblings passed away one by one, he and his mother had grown ever closer. As he grew older, she became his friend and confident. When Combeferre had elected medical training over a position as a gunner, she advocated on his behalf to Father and convinced him to allow it.

His most treasured mother, whom he loved and adored — He would never hear her speak again. With this thought, he wept.

As the tears streamed gently down his face, he sang to himself:

“If Caesar had given me

Glory and War,

And if I must abandon

the love of my mother,

I would say to great Caesar:

Take your scepter and chariot

I love my mother more, alas!

I love my mother more.”

**Author's Note:**

> you can pry the headcanon that combeferre's parents groomed him to be a gunner from my cold dead hands
> 
> i hope you enjoyed this (loving) callout to Combeferre's hypocrisy. I just love that song he sings and thought it would be interesting to draw the two scenes together. thanks for reading! :)


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